Frances, 11, lives in Detroit with her Chinese-immigrant parents and older sister, Clara, whose hair has begun to fall out. Doctors can't find a reason for the bald spot on top of Clara's head and their mom buys Clara a wig to wear, which is stolen at school. Clara is generally a mystery to Frances so finding out from her sister what happened isn't possible. Frances has one friend in the neighborhood, Chinese American Annie. Their friendship revolves primarily around hitting a tennis ball back and forth after school, but Frances and Annie think they know who stole Clara's wig and scheme ways to get it back, to no avail. Meanwhile, their tennis court volleying brings Frances to the attention of a tennis coach, who invites her to practice with a team. Frances gains confidence playing tennis, but hasn't stopped wondering about her sister's hair, until a sneaky read of Clara's diary reveals the truth: Clara's pulling it out herself (an author's note explains this is a psychiatric condition called trichotillomania). In this gorgeously written novel in verse, Frances is a carefully observant narrator revealing a slowly brightening emotional landscape in her specific, immigrant family. A playful moment shared by the sisters at story's end suggests the beginning of something new and happier between them. (Ages 10-13)

In this beautiful novel in verse, a Chinese-American girl contends with school bullies, tries to solve the mystery of her sister's strange illness, and finds strength and validation at the local tennis court.

Frances Chin, a 10-year old Chinese-American girl, lives in the suburbs of Detroit with her immigrant parents and older sister, Clara. At school Frances copes with bullies and the loneliness that comes with not quite fitting in. At home, she feels a different kind of aloneness. Her parents are preoccupied with work and worry about Clara, whose hair is inexplicably falling out. But, with the help of her friend Annie, Frances is determined to play Nancy Drew and solve the mystery of Clara’s condition. She also faces the everyday challenges and unexpected thrills of being a tween, especially when she receives encouragement from a tennis coach. Although she struggles to speak up, Frances’s powerful inner voice resonates in gorgeous imagery and evocative free verse.

"Love and more love to Victoria Chang for her lyrical and gentle prose poems that, in excavating a deep secret, usher readers beyond shame and into the warmth of understanding." —Thanhhà Lại, New York Times bestselling and National Book Award-winning author of Inside Out & Back Again, and most recently Butterfly Yellow